Charlotte Millington is not expecting to achieve a medal at the Junior Pan American Games, but that does not mean she is taking any chances with her performance.

The 17-year-old cyclist will compete in the 30-kilometre time-trial tomorrow and the 100km road race a week later, but she has chosen to forego the opening ceremony to save her legs for racing around the streets of Asunción a day later.

That may come as a surprise to some, but beneath the slender exterior lies a fierce competitor.

“We don’t think I’m going to do the opening ceremony because it starts at 7pm,” Millington said.

“There is a welcome ceremony on Friday night, but I’m leaning towards no to the opening ceremony. Obviously, it would be nice to go, but I am here to race primarily, so I don’t want to sacrifice that.

“I’m very excited but I’m going to be right at the bottom of the age range and I’m not expecting anything as realistically I could go again in four years’ time.”

Millington achieved finishes of eleventh in the time-trial and 24th in the road race in the Pan American Road Championships in Uruguay in April, with those performances giving her plenty of confidence.

I had a great experience in Uruguay and I hope I can build on that,“ she said.

“It was a great result in Uruguay, seeing as I crashed in the road race, but I don’t think I got the most out of myself at the time-trial there, so this one I want to finish empty and know that I put everything into it. If I manage to finish in the top half, it would be a great result, but I can look at it from a power perspective, a heart-rate perspective and take the win from that.”

Paraguay's capital is known for its seven hills, but sadly for Millington, race organisers have chosen a flat route.

“In the road race, you never know how it’s going to go and it’s a pan-flat course, which isn’t ideal, but it is what it is and it will be a good experience,” Millington said.

“I’m not a sprinter, I don’t weigh enough to be a sprinter, but it’s on a highway and everybody will be attacking, so it will be hard for me.

“I don’t have as high a peak power as some people, but I’m the only person on the team, so I won’t be expected to do anything in the race. You can always play to your advantages.”

The female members of the Bermuda team are vastly outnumbered by the boys, but Millington is pleased to be carrying the torch.

“It feels great to be one of the few females on the team. We flew over here with Marleigh [Howes, swimmer] this morning and I'm good friends with Robin [Selley, archer], so it’s great we get to represent the women.”